Detergent and polishing compound



Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE lffllffiifififiiiifif No Drawing. Application February 19, 1935,

' Serial No. 7,221

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This invention relates to a composition of matter, and more particularlyto a material or composition of matter adapted for use as a detergent,

agent in the cleaning and polishing of hard,-

smooth surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combinationof ingredients in a composition of matter adapted to be employed in thecleaning and polishing of hard, smooth surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved compositionof matter so compounded and conditioned as to be highly eilicient in thecleaning and polishing of hard, smooth surfaces without scratching of ordamage to such surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved compositionof matter efiiciently usable in the cleaning and polishing of surfacesof metal ware, glass, porcelain, glazed ware, enamel, varnish, and thelike, without damage to or destruction of such surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved detergentand polishing compound formed of ingredients having properties andcharacteristics advantageously combinable for high efiiciency in the useof such compounds.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved detergentand polishing compound formed of common, inexpensive and readilyprocurable ingredients, which is positive and eflicient to the endssought, readily adaptable to a wide variety of specific uses, and freefrom deleterious or injurious effects in use.

My invention consists in the combination. of ingredients, in theapproximate arrangement and relative proportion recited, as hereinafterset forth and pointed out in my claims.

The improved composition of matter comprising the instant invention ispreferably a suitably conditioned and proportioned admixture of naturalmaterials which may be readily and inexpensively obtained, whichmaterials have certain definite physical and chemical characteristicscooperabie in the admixture to a high degree of cleaning and polishingefficiency not readily obtainable through the use of the same materialsuncombined. While the materials to be employed in the compound arepreferably utilized in their natural state, it is of course possible andwithin the contemplation of the invention that substantially the same orequivalent material resulting from artificial processes or modificationscould be substituted for the nat- 5 ural materials herebelow described.

The principal ingredient of the improved composition of matter ispreferably a normally insoluble, very mildly abrasive material, such asis most readily found in nature occurring as silica 0 or in the group ofsilicates. When reduced to powder form, substantially minus 200 mesh,the natural silicas and silicates divide to form particles having few ifany acute angles and sharp comers and hence produce a powder which is 16but mildly abrasive in character, readily sus-v pensible in water andnormally insoluble in use. The silica or silicate powder conditioned asabove set forth has a mild abrasive action when rubbed on smooth, hardsurfaces, but the character 20 of the particles is such as to permitthem to roll freely on the surface to be cleaned and hence such powderin itself is 'not the efiicient agent sought. It has been determinedthat the natural metallic sulfides, when comminute to 5 minus 200 meshdivide to form particles of generally cubical form, which particles thuspresent substantially flat surfaces bounded by fairly sharp, straightedges susceptible of efllcient operation as scraping agents on andrelative to a 0 surface to be cleaned. The metallic sulfide particles,when used alone, tend to group and mass in such manner as to presenttheir sharp edges in scratching' relation with the surface to be cleanedor in such manner as to nullify the desired scraping effect of theirsharp edges, but when combined in proper proportion with the silica andsilicate particles, which latter roll about readily, the sulfideparticles quickly adjust themselves with their flat surfaces coplanarwith the surface to be cleaned and their sharp edges in the desiredscraping relation with said surface. The specific sulfide employed maybe any one of the metallic sulfides which divides to form substantiallycubical particles, iron sulfide, commonly and generally available,having been found highly satisfactory for the p pose set forth. It hasbeen determined that while the proportion of silica or silicateparticles to the metallic sulfide particles may vary somewhat withoutmaterial disadvantage, a proportion of substantially seven parts of thesilica and silicate material to one part of sulfide material isproductive of best results. The quantitative relation of metal tosulphur in a given sulfide will naturally vary somewhat when naturalcombinations are employed, but a proportion which has been found highlysatisfactory in practice consists inthreepartsofthemetalcombinedwithtwoparts of the sulphur, by weight.Expressing the quantitative relation of the three principal ingredientsin a more readily usable manner, a preferred admixture of suchingredients comprises substantially thirty-five parts of silica andsilicates, three parts of a metal and two parts of sulphur, by weight.the latter two ingredients combining or being combined to form a sulfidewith the metal present.

When ingredients in their natural state are employed in compolmding theimproved composition of matter, such materials will normally be foundassociated with relatively minute quantitles of other salts and metals,calcium, magnesium and potassium being commonly so found in suchassociation and alumina, naturally, being frequently present when thesilicate kaolin comprises a portion of the silica and silicate groupemployed. Such other salts, metals and oxides as may be presentcontribute to a normal alkaline reaction for the admixture in thepresence of water, which alkaline reaction is highly desirable and is tobe considered an essential characteristic of the improved compound eventhough in specific instances, especially when non-natural materials areemployed it might be I necessary to add those other ingredients requiredto produce the desired alkalinity.

It may well be that the improved composition of matter'compounded asabove described is productive of a slight chemical, as well as physical,reaction with the surfaces to be cleaned, since it would appear to bewithin the range of acceptable theory to assume that the sulphur presentin the compound might combine to some degree with the materials ofcertain surfaces, or with the staining, discoloring or other oxides andsurface deposits to be removed to form sulphates therewith which aremore readily removable than the objectionable deposits originally found.Without imduly emphasising the above suggestion, ithas been found thatthe improved compound can be very gently spread wet on nickel or silverplated surfaces, permitted to dry thereon, and thenbe lightly brushedtherefrom to leave a high-polish finish on such surfaces without theapplication of abrasive friction.

The improved composition of matter, compounded ,as described, ispreferably suitably packaged in a dry. p wder condition, in which 'formit is immediately available for use by the simple of water to the degreedeaired, asis commonly the'practice with conven- I tionalv powdereddetergent and polishing materials. Eowever, to meet the requirements ofcertainmesanduseraitmaybefoundexpediant to present the improved compoundin the form of a paste, cream or grease, in which event the compound asabove prepared may be readily combined with any suitable vehicle, suchas petroleum Jelly, or the like, which is chemically inert with respectto ingredients of the compound at normal temperatures andpressures.

Since the improved compound is susceptible of composition with a varietyof specific ingredients having the requisite characteristics, and sincethe proportions of ingredients herein set forth are not essentiallycritical, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scopeof the appended claims rather than by any details of the foregoingdescription.

I claim as my invention- 1. A detergent and polishing compoundcomprising a finely comminuted admixture of siliceous materials andnormally insoluble metallic sulfides in substantially the proportion ofseven parts of the siliceous material to one part of the metallicsulfide, by weight.

2. A detergent and polishing compound comprising a finely comminutedadmixture of normally insoluble siliceous particles in substantiallyglobular form with a lesser amount of normally insoluble metallicsulfide particles in substantially cubical form.

3. A detergent and polishing compound comprising a finely comminutedadmixture of seven parts, by weight, of normally insoluble siliceousparticles in substantially globular form with one part of normallyinsoluble metallic sulfide particles in substantially cubical form,whereby an excess of globular particles sufficient to prevent packingand of the cubical particles is provided.

4. A detergent and polishing compound comprising a normally alkaline,finely comminuted admixture of siliceous material and a normallyinsoluble metallic sulfide.

5. A detergent and polishing compound comprising a normally alkaline,finely comminuted admixture approximately seven parts, by weight, ofsiliceous material in particles of substantially globular form with onepart of a normally in soluble metallic sulfide in particlesofsubstantially cubical form, whereby an excess of globular particlessufilcient to prevent packing and massing of the cubical particles isprovided.

6. In a detergent and polishing compound, a

normally alkaline, finely comminuted admix-- ture of approximately sevenparts, by weight, of

siliceous material in particles of,substantiall y globular form with onepart of a normally insoluble metallic sulfide in particles ofsubstantially cubical form, whereby an excess of globular'particles'sufiicient to prevent packing and massing of the cubical particles isprovided.

FRED GRANT HUNT, Jr. p

